


You Picked Me

by kathiann



Category: The Mentalist
Genre: F/M, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2009-02-18
Updated: 2009-02-26
Packaged: 2017-12-10 02:04:04
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 7
Words: 8,318
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/780501
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kathiann/pseuds/kathiann
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Lisbon has bad days all the time. Sometimes she just needs to relax and have fun.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks to Ebony10 for being my beta.

She was mad. I could tell. Anyone could tell. Even if you had never met her, you could tell. We had done a stupid stunt again to get the killer. It had worked, but she was still mad. She had told us not to get into it,. She knew we wouldn't be able to resist, or rather that Jane wouldn't be able to resist. And we went along, without telling her.

I could see her through the blinds of the windows in her office. She was hunching over her desk, working on paperwork. I knew she wasn't really doing paper work; I'd been working with her long enough to know that she was just trying to calm down. If any of us went in there right now, she would snap.

And here comes Jane. He always knows what she's feeling. He knows that she's mad. And he's going to go in there anyway. It's obvious that she has a thing for him, but he's all wrong for her. He's not over his wife yet and she shouldn't have to wait.

He's in there now. She's yelling at him. And he's standing there smiling, like he always does. I know she's going to run out of steam soon and then she's just going to glare at him. He's going to laugh and it will all be over. She'll have been powerless to his charm. What can I say; we're all powerless to him. That's why Rigsby and I always go along with him.

And there's the moment. She finally gives up; he's not even listening really. This makes me feel guilty. She has way too much stress in her life. She needs to be able to relax. Jane should ask her out for dinner, but I don't think he will. She needs to get out, just relax, release.

Maybe I could find her a date. I knew plenty of single men, and women if she would prefer, but she doesn't seem the type. Maybe I should ask her to dinner, just as a friend of course. I don't think she would go with me any other way.

He's leaving her office now. I know he's going to go lay down on his couch, like nothing even happened. I guess it's now or never. I go over and knock on her door. "What do you want, Jane?" She calls through the door. I open it.

"Hey, boss," I say, coming into the room.

"Oh. Sorry, Cho. What did you need?" She still looks stressed out, but not as mad as she did before Jane came in.

"I was wondering if you want to get a bite to eat, my treat, to say sorry for the way we acted today."

"Thank you, Cho. That would be nice." She seemed surprised that I was asking, I suppose I had never asked her to go out before, but there was a first time for everything.

"So, whenever you're ready, just let me know." I didn't want to rush her; she did have more paperwork to do than me, especially after Jane's stupid stunt (they always created more paperwork).

"Sure, let me just finish up here." She started straightening her desk and putting papers into files.

"Ok, I'll just get ready." I was nervous and I didn't know why. It wasn't as if I hadn't ever been out with Lisbon, but usually it was with the entire team. It was just dinner with the boss. It was going to be fine.

"Are you ready?" asked Lisbon, coming up behind me. I grabbed my coat.

"Yeah, why don't you follow me to the restaurant? I was thinking Mexican."

"Sounds good." She said and headed out the door.

No one seemed to notice that we were leaving together, although I thought I saw Jane lift his head off the couch slightly, as if to make sure that he really was seeing us leave together.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I was really surprised at the response I got to this story. I was expecting a lot more people to be unhappy with the direction that the story is heading, of course as no one is in my brain but me, I may be the only one who knows how this is going to end up. Any way, thanks for the reviews and to Ebony 10 for being beta for me.

It started out just that one night, after the one case. It was just supposed to be one dinner, to make it up to her for all of the crap we gave her. The next case when we did it again, I wanted to ask her to go out to dinner again. I just couldn't stand the look on her face after Jane had gone in to talk to her. He was supposed to be apologizing, but I think it just made it worse.

At least no one had died this time, not that they usually do. But it had still been an embarrassment for her. She had to clean up a mess and a half when Jane had got done proving who had been the killer. There were reprimands involved and most of them had been for her.

They said she couldn't control her team, that we were all loose cannons. Van Pelt had taken offense to that. She was rarely involved in the schemes that Rigsby, Jane and I were. Really, it was all Jane. I was watching them through the window of her office again.

She was really letting into him. She was upset. He was letting her yell at him this time. He wasn't trying to stop her. Why couldn't he just try saying he was sorry and then not do it again for a few weeks? That would probably help her stress levels some.

She looked like she needed a hug, but I knew Jane wasn't going to give her one. He was probably going to attempt to charm his way out of the situation and he would probably succeed. She deserves better than that.

He's leaving her office now, going to lie on the couch; doesn't even care that she looks close to tears. She needs to go out again. I think I'll drive this time. She needs to drink.

I knock on her office door again. This time I just come in without her permission—I don't think she'd say yes. "You need to get out," I say before she can say anything.

"Really?" she asks skeptically. "What did you have in mind?" She smiles weakly at me.

"There's a new sushi place in town. Or we could go to this burger joint I know. They make really good garlic fries."

"Fries, please." She stands up and grabs her coat.

"I'll drive today, just in case you want to drink. You look like you could use it."

"In that case, I'll treat this time." She really smiled at me this time. It made me happy.

As we walked out the door, I saw Jane looking at us again. He seemed a little bit confused. Maybe I could teach him a thing or two about how to treat women. Maybe she would be happier then.

We're sitting at the restaurant now. Its happy hour and she's taking full advantage of it and the fact that I'm driving. She's relaxed at least. She's forgotten about the horrible day at work and the mountain of paperwork waiting for her back at the office.

I'm having a good time, too. Her smile is contagious and I find myself laughing along with her, despite the fact that I'm not drinking.

"I don't know why I always take the flack for him. He's never going to learn. I just keep doing it." She was rambling really. Just talking to talk. Letting it all out. It's good for her, really.

"One day he'll learn or he'll just smarten up and stop." She doesn't hear me and just keeps talking.

"You know, I used to think I liked him, like really liked him, but every time he pulls another one of his stupid stunts…One of these times, he's not going to be able to talk me out of it. I'm going to really have to do something."

I just look at her. I knew she liked him, but it's different hearing her say it. I don't like the way it makes me feel, but I don't dwell on it. I just sit, looking at her. We're drinking beer, or she is, and eating massive burgers and heaps of garlic fries. I'm having a good time and I think she is too.

It's after midnight now. We've been in the restaurant for hours. The staff is getting anxious. They think we're never going to leave. Just when I'm about to tell Lisbon that we need to go, she pulls out her wallet and signals to the waiter. She pays with a credit card, leaving a tip that's more than the bill.

I drive her home and tell her that I'll pick her up for work in the morning; her car is still at the office. She's going to have a headache in the morning. I make a note to stop by Starbucks on the way to pick her up to get her a very large coffee. She's going to need it.


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you to every one who reviewed, even those who aren't sure about this parring, Thanks also to Ebony10 for being my beta.

It's been six months since I asked her to dinner the first time, a little less than that since she got drunk the first time. It doesn't happen very often, her getting drunk, but it always ends up with me buying her coffee in the morning on the way into work.

I used to just ask her to dinner when we, or rather Jane, had seriously screwed up. Then I started asking her out at the end of every case, even ones where we hadn't caused her a serious head ache. I enjoyed her company and she seemed to enjoy mine.

We're having a slow spell right now. No one was in the mood for murder or mayhem apparently. I had finished all of my paper work and was now sitting at my desk, reading my newest book. I had swapped the dust jacket out with a sci-fi book, but I was really reading one of the Twilight books. It wouldn't look right for me to be reading it—that's why I switched out the dust jackets.

I wasn't really paying attention to the book. I was too busy trying to figure out a way to ask Lisbon out for dinner again. I didn't have an excuse this time. I couldn't ask her out as a congratulations on a job well done and I couldn't ask her out as an apology for screwing up. I was at a loss.

"Cho!" she called suddenly from the door of her office, "I need to talk to you." She looked mad, but for the life of me I couldn't figure out why. I put down my book, careful to mark the page, and went into her office.

"Close the door." She said. This must be serious.

"What's up, boss?" I ask as I take a seat in front of the desk she is sitting behind. Maybe I read the look wrong before because now she looks nervous.

"Come to dinner with me tonight." She says quickly and with no hesitation, but I can tell she's afraid I might say no.

"Yes," I say. She looks as though she waiting for me to say something else so I continue, "I was just sitting out there trying to figure out a way to ask you out without having a case as an excuse."

"Well, I guess I beat you to the punch." She smiles at me now and I notice, not for the first time, that it makes her look young and beautiful. "Would you like to pick me up?"

I'm a little surprised. We usually meet there or on the rare occasion when she is in trouble for something we have done, I drive her to dinner and then to work the next morning. "You mean, like we're going to go on a real date?"

She's looking even less confidant than before, "Well, yeah, but if you don't-"

I cut her off. "Of course I want to go out with you." It was like a six-month long dream come true. "Do you have someplace in mind?"

"There's a really good seafood restaurant that I like. I was thinking we could go there and then maybe to a movie."

"Sound like a plan. I'll pick you up at seven. Is that ok?" I was still in a little bit of shock that we were actually going on a date.

"Seven sounds wonderful." She was smiling now. I loved her smile. She didn't do it often enough.

"Do you mind if I take the rest of the afternoon off?" It was already 4:00, so it wasn't like I was going to be cutting out that early. Besides it has been really slow this week.

"Sure, why?" Lisbon responded. I decided to pull a page out of Jane's book and just smiled at her. She laughed. "I'll see you tonight."

I got up and walked out. This was going to be interesting. I hoped no one asked me any questions about why I was in her office. I don't think I would be able to hold back. I'd probably just tell everyone. I walked slowly back to my desk and gathered up my things. Rigsby looked up from his desk and looked at me with a question in his eyes.

"Hey, where are you going?" He seemed jealous that I was leaving and he was still stuck here.

"I'm going home for the day. It's really slow, and the boss said it was okay."

"Really? Maybe I should ask to leave, too."

"It's worth a shot." I grabbed my coat and started to walk out the door. I was almost out entirely free and clear when I heard Jane call my name. I thought about just ignoring him, but I knew he would know that I had heard him. I turned around and caught his eye.

"Did you need something?" I asked, I was anxious to leave. I had shopping to do and I wasn't very good at it. I would need all the time I could get.

"Let me walk you out." He said, jumping up and following me. We walked in silence for a while. Jane didn't say anything until we were outside of the building, headed to the parking lot. It was a nice day, a gentle breeze was blowing and it made my already good mood just that much better.

"You seem unusually happy this afternoon." Jane commented. "I think I actually saw you smiling back there when you told Rigsby that you were going home for the night. Where are you really going?"

"I've got to do some shopping." I kept walking, hoping he would give up his interest, but he just followed me.

"Really? You don't usually go shopping."

"I know. it's a special occasion." I knew if I kept talking to him he would get out of me that I was going on a date with Lisbon, if he didn't know already.

"What did Lisbon want to talk to you about?" He would know if I was lying, I better not look him in the face. I picked up the pace. I was almost to my car, almost home free.

"Just about taking the rest of the afternoon off." There was my car, I unlocked the door and started to get in but Jane grabbed my arm and looked me straight in the eyes. This was a good a time as any to have a stone face that was difficult for him to read.

"So you aren't going out with her tonight?" His face looked hopeful, but I'm pretty sure he already knows the answer so I don't say anything about it.

"I'll see you tomorrow Jane." Was all I said. I got in the car and drove off, with him looking at me with a crushed look on his face. He knew.


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks to Ebony 10 for being my beta.

We were at the restaurant now. I had spent three hours at the mall trying to figure out what to wear tonight. I don't know why. It's not like I've never gone out to eat with Lisbon before, but tonight is different. I almost wish I could have asked Jane to help me like he did last time. He really does have good taste. Somehow, though, I don't think he would have been much help in this endeavor.

I finally settled on just getting a new shirt and wearing the same suit that Jane had described as having zing. It was the last purchase that I had made that was making me nervous now. I had been leaving the store, after having spent two and a half hours picking out a shirt, and passed by the jewelry counter. The last half hour at the mall was spent trying to talk myself out of buying something for her.

I was having the salmon and she was having the swordfish. We were having a good time. Neither of us had mentioned work at all. It was nice. There didn't seem to be any pressure tonight, not that there really ever was, but tonight still felt different.

She got up to go to the ladies room right after we ordered dessert. I figure it's now or never. I reach across the table and place the box where her plate had been. I sat just staring into space, waiting for her to come back and discover what I got for her.

When she gets back to the table her look does not disappoint. "What's this?" she asks.

"I was out shopping today and I saw them. I just couldn't resist." I try to smile, but it's hard. I'm afraid that she won't like them. She slowly opened the box and a huge smile broke out on her face.

In the box was a set of silver and amethyst butterfly earrings and a pendant that matched. I had noticed in the time we had spent together that most of her earrings were purple; I figured that she must like the color.

"Why the butterflies?" She asked with a puzzled expression on her face.

"The first time I went to your apartment I noticed that you have a print on your wall of a field of flowers and butterflies. When I saw the earrings I thought of that print. The necklace came with them."

"Thank you. I love them." She smiled at me. This was turning out to be a great date after all.

The next morning I was early to work. I was anxious to see if she would wear the earrings. I wasn't expecting her to wear the necklace. She always wore the same one—or at least she had as long as I had been paying attention and I don't expect her to stop on my account.

I'm sitting at my desk reading my book when she comes in. The first thing I notice is that she's wearing the necklace; the next thing I notice is that she's also wearing the earrings. I want to look at her and smile, but I don't. I just keep reading my book, barely glancing up when she walks by my desk and says good morning.

It's another slow day or rather the start to the day is slow. Jane is lat as usual. He has paperwork to do, but he never does it. Rigsby and I usually wind up doing it for him. I think it's a little bit like Tom Sawyer, getting the neighborhood kids to paint the fence. It's after 10:00 when he comes in today. All smiles and happiness. He acts like showing up two hours late for work is a normal thing. I wonder how long it will take him to notice that she is wearing a different necklace than normal and what his reaction is going to be.

It's lunch time before Lisbon comes out of her office. She was holding a stack of file folders in her hands as she walked up to all of us. She looked at Van Pelt first, "I need you to look at these files again. I think we're missing some witness statement, see if you can find them." She hands Van Pelt three of the files. "Rigsby, I need you to review these case files one more time before we put them into storage, make sure every I is doted and every T crossed. Cho, you do the same for these." She hands us each three files.

She turns to Jane next. He's lying on the sofa. Most people would think he was asleep, but we all know better. She kicks the side right by his head, but he doesn't stir. "Hey, Jane, get up."

He just smiles with his eyes still closed. "You have paperwork to do still and these guys have their own work to do." She's trying not to smile at him, but she's not doing a good job at it.

He finally opens his eyes to look at her. He looks at her with a puzzled look. "There's something different about you today." He sits up slowly and keeps looking at her. I look around and notice that Rigsby and Van Pelt are getting ready to go to lunch, not paying attention to Jane and Lisbon. I look down at the files on my desk, trying to pretend I'm not listening.

"You're wearing a different necklace." He looks at her with his studying look. "And matching earrings. They're new." He seems surprised, but she just ignored him.

"Paperwork, Jane, now." She turns and walks off. He's still sitting on the sofa looking at her as she walks away.


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the late update, but I couldn't get on. Thanks for the reviews, and to Ebony10 for being my beta.

I'm watching her through the window of her office again. Jane's in there with her. We screwed up again. Despite the fact that we've been going out for the past six months, it doesn't seem to affect the ability Jane has to get me and Rigsby to do stupid things. This time we had managed to get a building blown up. The fact that it was going to be blown up anyway didn't matter.

She looks upset, but not as much as she should have been. His arrogant smug attitude didn't seem to be bothering her today. She is only half-heartedly yelling at him—usually she gets really into it, but today it looks like she just wants to get it over with, like it's a chore she's expected to do. I wonder what's so different about today.

Jane seems to notice something is different, too. He's not smiling nearly as much as he usually does when she's yelling at him. He's leaving her office now with a confused look on his face. Obviously, he doesn't know why she's acting different, either.

I look back into her window and notice that she has her cell phone out. It looks like she's texting someone. She doesn't usually text. She prefers to actually call people on the phone. I'm startled out of my observations by my phone vibrating in my pocket. I have a new message.

I open the message and notice that it is from Teresa. What are you doing tonight? Like she has to ask.

Taking you to dinner. I look in her window as she receives my text back and see the slight smile on her face. To the casual observer they would think that she was reading paperwork, but I could tell differently.

Anywhere special? I wonder what she means. Every time I take her out is a special night, everywhere we go together is special. I think about it for a minute and it hits me.

How about Mexican? This is the same day one year ago that I asked her to dinner for the first time. I can't believe I could have forgotten about it. Obviously, she hasn't.

Pick me up at 7:00?

Of course. Now that I remember that tonight is a special night, I'm going to have to think of something special to get her. I look at the clock, 4:30, only half an hour to go. I better get started on this paperwork or I was never going to be able to get out of here on time.

It's 5:30 now, only half an hour late leaving, not bad. I still need to go home, change into my nice suit, then stop and get flowers for her before I pick her up. At six months I got her jewelry, I hope that flowers will be okay for a year. I don't know what else to give her.

I'm almost out the door when Jane calling my name brings be back in. "What's up, Jane?"

"You should get her chocolates, too." He says. I look at him, but he doesn't say anything else.

"What are you talking about?" I hope he thinks I'm really confused, but I don't think he's going to buy it.

"Have a nice dinner, Cho," is his response. I turn and walk out. I refuse to feel guilty. He could have done this just as easily as I did, but he didn't. Of course, if he had, it would probably be me telling him to have a nice dinner and wishing that I was there instead.

I'm almost late. I couldn't decide what kind of chocolates to get her and I got stuck in traffic. I hope she'll forgive me when she sees what I've brought. I run up the stair to her apartment (she would have to live on the third floor) and am slightly out of breath when I knock on her door.

She opens the door and if I hadn't already been panting, I would probably start. She's gorgeous. She's wearing a dress. That alone is unusual, but the color is magnificent on her. It's a deep purple, almost black. It comes to just above her knees, and hugs her tiny frame in a way that makes my eyes want to pop out of their sockets.

"Do you want to come in?" she asks and only then do I realize that I have been staring.

"Yeah," I say, following her inside. "I brought you these." I say. I feel kind of cheesy giving her flowers and chocolate, but I know she likes them.

"Thank you." She takes them from me and places them on the coffee table.

Before I realize what's happening, I feel her lips on mine. I don't know what to think. Even though we've been going out for a year and dating for six months, we have never actually kissed. I find that it's difficult to think and I'm lost in the sensation of her lips on mine. I never want it to stop. When she breaks away, I just look at her with awe and wonder. I'm at a loss for what to say.

"Let's go." She says and grabs her coat before heading out the door. "Do you want to drive or shall I?"

It takes a few seconds for me to speak. "You should probably drive," I say slowly, I barely trust myself to walk right now, let alone drive. She looks over her shoulder and smirks at me. She knows the way she affects me.


	6. Chapter 6

It's been six months since we kissed that first time, on our one year anniversary. It's the anniversary of our first real date tonight and I have something special planned. We've been taking things very slow. We haven't even slept together yet. I think it would be weird to sleep with the boss—a main reason why—instead of watching her through the window of her office. I am sitting in a chair across form Minelli.

"What do you mean you want to be reassigned? You work great on the team. Has something happened to change that?"

"No, nothing has changed recently. I just need a change of pace." I'm lying to him, but he doesn't know. Jane is probably the only one that would be able to tell and he hasn't been speaking to me as much as he used to. I think he still resents that I am the one going out with Teresa and not him.

"Have you talked this over with Lisbon?" He's clearly upset that if I leave the team he will have to find someone else that will be able to work with Jane. He is the hardest person on the team to get along with, despite all of his charm and charisma.

"No, I was going to wait until I found out if there were any open positions elsewhere before I told her of my intentions." He has no idea that I don't just mean leaving the team.

"It turns out that we do have an opening in the organized crime divisions if you want it. But I'm telling you, the team you're on now is much better."

"Organized crime is fine, thanks." I rise to leave, but am stopped by Minelli.

"I don't want to have to tell Lisbon so that's going to be your responsibility."

"I think I can handle it." I know he's afraid of her temper, but after getting so close to her for the last eighteen months, I'm not really afraid. I know she's more bite than bark and I like it that way.

I leave his office and head straight for hers. I notice that Rigsby and Van Pelt are sitting very close together in the break room. I think that Minelli might have to find another replacement for the team soon if they keep it up. I see Jane sitting at his desk. This is unusual, but I don't mention it to him. Undoubtedly he has a reason for it, and as I come closer I notice that he has a phone book out and he is flipping through the pages.

I go up to Teresa's door; it's not shut, so I stick my head inside. "Hey, boss, you got a minute?"

She looks up from her computer and smiles when she sees me. "Sure thing, Cho, come on in." She keeps things all business when we are at work and I realize that I'm going to miss working with her everyday. I go in and shut the door.

"Hey, how would you like a home cooked meal tonight?" I ask and am happy with the look of surprise on her face.

"Do you know how to cook? Because I'm not cooking."

"Of course I know how to cook. I wouldn't invite you over to cook for me."

"Of course not. I keep forgetting what a wonderful guy you are. What time should I come over?"

"How about between seven and eight? If you get there before dinner's done, you can watch." I smile at her now. I love just spending time with her, so I hope she comes early.

"I'll be there." She says and I turn to go. "Kim," she says, causing me to stop and turn around. "I love you."

"I love you too." I'm glad that I shut the door to her office when I came in. I want to go over to her and kiss her, but I look out the window of her office and notice Jane watching us so all I do is say, "I'll see you tonight. I have a couple of surprises for you." I walk out of her office.

I sit down at my desk and it doesn't take much time for Jane to come over and sit on the edge of my desk. He leans over and asks "Why didn't you kiss her?"

"What are you talking about?" I'm trying to act annoyed, not that I have to try very hard.

"In Lisbon's office a few minutes ago. It looked like you wanted to kiss her, but you didn't. Why?"

I see no point in trying to avoid the question. He always gets it out of me anyway so I tell him. "Maybe the fact that the entire office could see us and that you were watching stopped me."

"Afraid of a little PDA, Cho?" He chuckles and moves off my desk to his couch. He can be really annoying most of the time. The rest of the time he is just annoying.

The next time I look at the clock it is already past 5:00 and people are moving to leave for the night. I decide to go say goodbye to Teresa before I leave and notice that her door is almost completely closed. I hear talking and before I realize who is in her office with her, I have overheard part of the conversation.

"What was so important that it couldn't wait for tomorrow?" I know this is her voice.

"I had to talk to you." Jane is in her office. I'm tempted to barge in, but I don't.

"About what, Jane?"

"I had to tell you before it's too late." He pauses and then says so quietly that I almost think I'm imagining it, "I love you."

I turn and almost run away when I hear him say that. It's none of my business, even though I can't help thinking it is.

I'm at home cooking now. I'm doing a pork tender loin because they don't take much time to cook. The rest of the dinner is almost done and I look at the clock for the hundredth time that night. I notice that the time is 7:50 and wonder if she decided not to come. At this point I glad that I decided to transfer. I don't think I could work with her anymore if she didn't show up tonight.

The rest of the dinner is done now, fresh green beans and pine nut couscous. I've even baked a chocolate cake for desert. It's cooling on the counter now waiting to be frosted.

Its 8:10 now and I'm pretty sure she's not coming. She's never been late before so I'm thinking that she probably picked Jane. I've always known that she liked Jane; it was always there in the back of my mind as a possibility. That one day she might pick him over me and it looks like tonight is the night it happened.

Its 8:30 now and the food is getting cold. No need for it to go to waste and even though I'm not hungry, I serve myself a plate of food. I put it in the microwave to heat back up. I pull the small box out of my pocket that I have been playing with all night. I open it and look at the ring inside. It has just a small diamond in it, less than three carats. I didn't want something too big for her hand. She has such delicate fingers; I didn't want anything that would detract from that. I figure that I can take it back in the morning. I didn't ask the guy at the jewelry store what their return policy was. I didn't think I was going to need it. On second thought, maybe I'll keep it. To remind me of how things could have turned out.

Its 9:00 now and I can feel the last bits of hope disappearing. I put the leftovers away and look at the cake. It's still not frosted. No time like the present. I pull the tub of chocolate icing out of the cupboard. I can take it to work tomorrow and give it to Rigsby.

The thought of having to go to work tomorrow and see Teresa and Jane, to know that she picked him over me almost makes me want to just throw the cake at the wall, but I'm not a violent man so I don't. I just finish frosting it and cover it so that it won't dry out.

Its 9:30 now and I can't stand to be awake anymore. I turn off all the lights and make sure the door is locked. It's going to be a long night and I feel tears starting in the corners of my eyes. I feel stupid crying for her, but I can't help it. I really do love her. I still do—one night wouldn't change that. I hope that the pain will fade during the night, but I know that it won't. I leave the ring sitting on the table next to the place that I had set for her. I can't bear to look at it anymore tonight. I slowly make the way to my bed room. I doubt I'll get any sleep tonight.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the depressing tone of this one. This is what happens when I try to write after spending two nights up with sick kids. No sleep tends to put me in a bad mood, which is translated to depressing in the stories I write. This is not how it was supposed to go, but not much I can do about it, it's just the way that it happened. Also thanks to Ebony10 for being my beta.


	7. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So I think i deleted the wrong version of this chapter, so any mistakes are totally my fault, and not Ebony10 who read this over for me. Thanks to every one who read this and responded. I honestly didn't know if anyone was even going to read it, considering that i wasn't paring Jane and Lisbon right off. Most people are rooting for Jane to still get Lisbon, even though he's been kind of a jerk. I hope every one like this.

I open my eyes. I had actually dozed off; I look at the clock, 12:00. It's midnight and I try to figure out what woke me up. Then I hear it again. There's a noise coming from the kitchen. I'm in no mood for someone to be in my house. I quietly get out of bed. I leave my weapon in the drawer by my bed. In the mood I'm in I would probably shoot Santa Clause. I slowly make my way down the hall toward the kitchen. I'm glad for once that my apartment is longer than it is wide. It gives me a few seconds to try to figure out what the noise I hear could be.

I'm almost ready to turn the corner into the kitchen when I recognize the noise. Someone is crying. I hope that the idiot that broke in here doesn't have a weapon, I'm in no mood to have to fight off a criminal with mental problems tonight. I step quietly into the kitchen and I see her.

I can't believe my eyes. How did she get in here, then I remember. I had given her a key when I went to visit my mother a few months ago, I had never got it back from her, I figured I wouldn't need to. She's sitting at the place I left set for her at the table and in her hand is the ring box. I turn to leave, I don't really want to have this conversation tonight, but she hears my footsteps and looks up.

"Kim." I can hear the tears in her voice and what sounds like a note of pleading, but I try not to listen to closely. I don't want to turn around. I can't face her right now, I know if I look at her I will just end up crying, and I don't want her to remember me that way.

"Good night Lisbon." I say. I can't bear to call her Teresa, that beautiful name; I want to remember saying it in happy times, not now. I don't go back into by bedroom, but rather I go and sit on the sofa in the living room. I can bring myself to go much further than that. The crying I did earlier tonight had taken its toll and I am too exhausted to care anymore.

As I sit there I feel the tears starting again. Why do I have to be crying now, she's still here I can hear her in the kitchen. It sounds like she's getting into the fridge. She'll see the leftover food. I wish I had thrown it out now. I make a note to call Rigsby in the morning and see if he wants to come over for a home cooked meal. Knowing him, he'll say yes and I can get rid of all the food in one shot, he wouldn't care that it hadn't been meant for him originally.

"I didn't mean to hurt you." She says quietly coming into the living room and standing behind the sofa.

I struggle to control my emotions and say "Please just leave."

"We need to talk." I don't want to talk. I have no interest in talking to her. She broke my heart. I can't stand it. Was I always just a place holder for what she really wanted?

"You don't have to worry about it being weird at work. I asked Minelli for a transfer today. I'm starting on the organized crime taskforce on Monday. I was going to tell you earlier, but now seems as good a time as any." I can hear the bitterness in my voice and I can't keep it out. I still can't bring myself to look at her.

"It's not what you think." Oh really, how would she know.

"What are there two psychics working for the CBI now?" I can't stand this anymore. I stand up and turn around. I can see the look of pain that crosses her face when I mention him. I almost feel sorry for her, but it quickly turns to anger. "Please, just leave now before I do something I'm going to regret."

"Just listen to me, please. Let me explain." She looks so sad; I can tell this is hard for her too. I haven't been able to tell her no since the first time she kissed my six months ago. I just sigh and she takes that as a queue to go on.

"I'm sorry I didn't show up earlier. I didn't mean to stand you up. It looks like you put a lot of effort into dinner." She pauses here, as if not sure how to go on. How much of my conversation with Jane did you over hear tonight?"

"What makes you think I overheard any of your conversation?"

"I was supposed to be here by 8:00, but here it is midnight, and you never once tried to call me. You must have thought I was ok if you didn't call."

I hated that she was trying to turn this around and make me feel guilty. I decide to answer her question any way. "I heard him tell you he loves you. I know you love him, that's the only reason I can think of that you would let him walk all over you; you don't let anyone else do that. I figured that you had made your decision when you didn't show up for dinner."

I lose my desire to stand at this point and collapse back into the sofa. It's too painful to think about, her being with him. I just sit there staring at the TV, even though it's not turned on. Teresa comes around the couch and sits on the coffee table in front of me.

"I almost did go with him. But I realized something. I don't love him. I don't think I ever really did. I might have liked him at first, been infatuated with him, but I never loved him. I do however love you."

She goes to grab my hands, but I don't want her touching me right now. I stand up quickly and walk towards the kitchen to get something to drink. I curse the fact that the only alcohol in my apartment is the wine I bought to go with dinner. I don't want to open it. I settle for a glass for water. As I stand by the sink drinking I hear her come up behind me.

"Kim." I know she wants me to say something, but I don't know what to say.

"Lisbon." Is my response to her.

"Please don't call me that." I can hear pleading in her voice.

"Why not it's your name." I'm almost happy that she seems to be upset at me using her last name not her first.

"We're dating, and if I hadn't been late tonight I think we might be more than that."

I scoff and turn around to look at her. "We are not dating. And how do you know what I was going to do with that ring tonight, you weren't here."

I see a look of pain cross her face, and she lowers her head for a minute. "I'm sorry. I never meant to hurt you. After Jane told me that he loved me, I was in shock. I knew I should just leave, but I couldn't. It took me a good five minutes to be able to get my mind around what he said."

I want to tell her I don't believe her, but she see's I want to say something and stops me. "Please, just let me say it all before you say anything."

I nod my head in consent and she continues.

"When I was finally able to say something I asked him why he waited till now to tell me, and he said it was because he wanted to tell me before it was too late. I couldn't figure out what he meant, but then he said that he had heard you talking to a jeweler on the phone the other day and had called around and figured out that you had bought an engagement ring. He wanted to tell me he loved me before I said I would marry you. I should have left right then, but I didn't.

"We got to talking about you and his wife, and life in general, and before I knew it was after 10:00. I couldn't believe how late it was. I was going to leave, and Jane reminded me that I hadn't said anything about his telling me that he loved me. I was going to tell him that I didn't love him, when he kissed me."

She stopped there and looked at me. I wasn't sure what to expect at this point. She said that it was two hours ago when Jane had kissed her, I really didn't think that was the end of the story, so I didn't say anything.

She continued, "I couldn't believe he would kiss me, he's really good at it, not that you needed to know, but the whole time he was kissing me I couldn't help but think that he wasn't nearly s good as the man who was waiting for me back at his apartment. I felt so guilty. I told him that I used to like him; but that I was defiantly in love with you and that I was so late that you must be worried sick.

"That's when he mentioned that you must have over heard us talking, because I hadn't got one phone call from you. After I left I drove around for what felt like forever, and I finally ended up here. I knew you were probably asleep, so I used the key that you had given me when you went out of town and I let myself in. I saw the ring next to the plate on the table and I knew what Jane had said was true. You were going to ask me to marry you tonight, weren't you?" She looked me straight in the eye and I find that I can't look away.

"That was the plan. Home cooked meal, chocolate cake and a marring proposal. It had it all worked out. I even talked to Minelli about switching departments so that there wouldn't be a conflict of interest. He's almost petrified of you, you are known to have a bit of a temper, that he made to promise to tell you myself. It couldn't have worked out better if I had planed it that way. It was almost perfect." I can't look at her any more.

"I'm sorry if I hurt you that was never my intention. I love you, I really do, more than I ever thought was possible. When you never called tonight, I thought I lost you. I couldn't bear to think about going to work every day and not seeing you, not being with you. It was almost too much to bear. That's why I came over here tonight. I thought that maybe if I explained it to you, you might take me back." She looks like she's going to cry again and I can't stand to be the one to cause her tears.

I go up to her and pull her into a hug and hold her tight against me as if I'm afraid that she'll disappear. I never want to let her go. There is one thing I still have to do though. I look over her head at the table and notice the ring box still sitting there. I release her, and immediately feel cold, like I've lost all of my warmth. I want to just grab her and hold her again, but I want to do this now.

I pick the ring box up off the table and pull the ring out. It took me weeks to figure out what her ring size was so that it would fit perfectly the first time and not have to go back to the jeweler to be sized. I turn around and face her. I think about getting down on one knee, but it just seems silly. Instead I grab a hold of her left hand and slowly push the ring onto her finger.

"Teresa," I look her in the eyes, "Will you marry me?" I don't know why, but I am nervous. I already know her answer, but the brief seconds it takes her to say it feels like and eternity.

"Of course I will." She pulls my face down towards hers and kisses me. It feels like the first time that she kissed me, but this time I can feel the cool metal of the ring as it brushes my check. I think that we are going to be very happy together. I break off the kiss and start to laugh.

"What's so funny?" she is confused and I don't blame her.

"Rigsby is going to have to find something else for lunch tomorrow."

"I don't understand." She's still confused.

"How would you like some dinner." She smiles at me know she gets it.

"I would love some." She kisses me one more time, and grabs her plate of the table. She looks at home here, and I am happy to know that we never have to be apart again.

**Author's Note:**

> Don't you hate when there are authors notes at the top and bottom? This is what happens when they cut my hours at work, I have way to much time on my hands. Let me know what you think. This was an idea suggested to my by Ebony10, let me know what you all think.


End file.
